uld strive
unceasingly to obtain her esteem and friendship.

I stepped into the Carriage, where Agnes was already seated. Theodore
closed the door, and the Postillions drove away. At first I was
delighted with the rapidity of our progress; But as soon as we were in
no danger of pursuit, I called to the Drivers, and bad them moderate
their pace. They strove in vain to obey me. The Horses refused to
answer the rein, and continued to rush on with astonishing swiftness.
The Postillions redoubled their efforts to stop them, but by kicking
and plunging the Beasts soon released themselves from this restraint.
Uttering a loud shriek, the Drivers were hurled upon the ground.
Immediately thick clouds obscured the sky: The winds howled around us,
the lightning flashed, and the Thunder roared tremendously. Never did
I behold so frightful a Tempest! Terrified by the jar of contending
elements, the Horses seemed every moment to increase their speed.
Nothing could interrupt their career; They dragged the Carriage through
Hedges and Ditches, dashed down the most dangerous precipices, and
seemed to vye in swiftness with the rapidity of the winds.

All this while my Companion lay motionless in my arms. Truly alarmed
by the magnitude of the danger, I was in vain attempting to recall her
to her senses; when a loud crash announced, that a stop was put to our
progress in the most disagreeable manner. The Carriage was shattered to
pieces. In falling I struck my temple against a flint. The pain of
the wound, the violence of the shock, and apprehension for the safety
of Agnes combined to overpower me so compleatly, that my senses forsook
me, and I lay without animation on the ground.

I probably remained for some time in this situation, since when I
opened my eyes, it was broad daylight. Several Peasants were standing
round me, and seemed disputing whether my recovery was possible. I
spoke German tolerably well. As soon as I could utter an articulate
sound, I enquired after Agnes. What was my surprise and distress, when
assured by the Peasants, that nobody had been seen answering the
description which I gave of her! They told me that in going to their
daily labour they had been alarmed by observing the fragments of my
Carriage, and by hearing the groans of an Horse, the only one of the
four which remained alive: The other Three lay dead by my side. Nobody
was near me when they came up, and much time had been lost, before they
s